Lead Merchant, Women's Top's 58A7-181

GRN Lowcountry; Louisiana (MO); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent retail company is seeking a Lead Merchant – Tops to shape the strategic direction and product assortment for their Tops category. The role requires 7+ years of experience in merchandising, including at least 3 years in leadership, along with strong negotiation and analytical skills. The candidate will influence decisions across the organization, ensuring profitable growth and a keen understanding of fashion trends. This position offers an exciting opportunity to blend creativity with business acumen.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive merchant or buying experience.
• 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of driving profitable growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic direction for product assortment.
• Balance trend awareness with strong business acumen.
• Drive results through effective negotiation and relationship building.

Skills

Negotiation

Vendor management

Analytical skills

Strategic planning

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business or Merchandising

MBA preferred

Job description

Required Experience

• 7 Years Merchant or Buying Experience
• 3 Years in a Leadership Role

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Business or Merchandising

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of one of our most essential product categories, Tops, and define how our customer experiences fashion that feels both current and uniquely us. The Lead Merchant – Tops will develop and execute the strategic direction, product assortment, and financial performance for this key business. This role requires a blend creative vision and analytical rigor – balancing trend awareness with strong business acumen to deliver growth, profitability, and excitement across all channels. We’re not looking for someone to simply manage the buy, we’re looking for a skilled Negotiator, relationship builder, and decision-maker with the ability balance art and science in merchandising while driving results. Someone who can see the story in the data, and the opportunity in the details. Someone who’s as passionate about product as they are about people and performance.>

Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive merchant or buying experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record of driving profitable growth.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Excellent analytical, strategic planning, and financial modeling skills.
• Deep understanding of boutique retail dynamics, customer behavior, and emerging fashion trends.
• Leadership presence with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization.